# FPGAwars/icestudio

:snowflake: Visual editor for open FPGA boards

Repository: https://github.com/FPGAwars/icestudio
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/icestudio
Homepage: https://icestudio.io
Language: JavaScript
License: GPL-2.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: editor, fpga, blocks, icestorm, lattice, verilog, ide, icestudio, javascript
Last push: 2026-08-21T02:28:28+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 98/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-03T02:39:23.370411+00:00)
- activity 98, release rhythm 98, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 3870, "days_push": 13, "days_rel": 13, "gap_med": 7, "n_releases_24m": 2}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1923, forks 282 (observed 2026-08-28T04:05:55.317762+00:00)

## What it is
Icestudio is a visual editor for designing digital circuits for open-source FPGA boards using a drag-and-drop block interface, with optional Verilog support. It synthesizes designs and uploads them to supported boards via the Icestorm toolchain and Apio.

## Use cases
- design FPGA circuits without writing Verilog
- teach digital design to beginners
- upload bitstreams to open FPGA boards like Alhambra II or iceBreaker
- build hardware visually by connecting blocks
- prototype RISC-V or Z80 CPU designs on FPGA
- learn FPGA development on Linux, Mac, or Windows

## When to choose
- you are new to FPGAs and want a gentle visual introduction
- you use supported open-source FPGA boards (Lattice iCE40-based)
- you want drag-and-drop hardware design with optional Verilog blocks
- you teach digital logic and want an accessible classroom tool

## When to avoid
- you need professional FPGA flows for vendor-specific large devices (Xilinx, Intel)
- you require advanced HDL verification or simulation tooling
- you prefer text-based HDL IDEs with full language tooling

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: editor, gui, compiler, developer-tools
- domain: hardware, embedded-systems, developer-tools, education
- platform: windows, cross-platform
- tags: fpga, visual-programming, verilog, icestorm, apio, digital-design, open-source-hardware, drag-and-drop, linux, macos

## Member repositories
- FPGAwars/icestudio (main) score 98

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:55.317762+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T03:09:36.876015+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/FPGAwars/icestudio (fetched 2026-08-28T04:05:55.317762+00:00, sha f4b1a1bc1639)
  - homepage: https://icestudio.io (fetched 2026-08-29T10:49:11.760801+00:00, sha 9e891bdc38aa)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.